Gender justice, policing stories to lead 3rd Crime Lit Festival

At a time when true-crime content dominates digital platforms, the Doon Cultural Literature Society (DCLS) has announced the third edition of the Crime Literature Festival — a national forum that brings together crime writing, law enforcement, cinema and social reform to spark informed public dialogue.

The curtain-raiser was held in Delhi on Saturday. Former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar, Festival chairman and president of DCLS, said the growing fascination with crime stories must be accompanied by awareness and critical understanding. “With the ever-rising crime rate in the country, there is a need to promote literature that makes citizens vigilant and informed. We also want to recognise officers who intelligently unlock complex cases. With this festival, we offer a platform to the police fraternity as well as creators who bring meaningful crime narratives to the masses,” he said.

He added that this year’s edition will host senior officials, authors and film producers to discuss achievements, challenges and lessons in crime and justice.

Festival director and noted author Aloke Lal, former DGP, said the event seeks to humanise crime stories by examining systems rather than sensationalising acts. “Understanding crime goes beyond solving cases. Through this festival, we aim to bring real narratives to the forefront and to help citizens understand what happened, why it happened and what we must learn from it. It is a bridge between field experience and public consciousness,” he said.

Two sessions at the curtain-raiser offered a preview of the festival’s format. The first, ‘Madam Sir – Breaking Brass Ceilings’, highlighted officers who have pushed gender boundaries in policing. Bihar’s first woman IPS officer Manjari Jaruhar recalled being the only woman in uniform. “When I stepped into the uniform, there were awkward moments and surprised stares. But gradually, that transformed into respect. I was affectionately recognised as ‘Hunterwali’, not for aggression, but for leading with fairness and conviction,” she said.

The second session, ‘Equitable Justice: Are Men Being Left Behind?,’ examined complexities in gendered crime laws. Filmmaker and men’s rights advocate Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj said, “Many laws were framed to protect women, but there are rising cases where provisions are misused and men become victims. It is time to address these gaps and work toward reforms that ensure fairness and truly equitable justice for both men and women.”

Lal told The Tribune that the festival also shapes cultural understanding of crime. The Dehradun-based event has become one of India’s distinctive platforms linking policing, investigative writing and social discourse.